Pump piston



Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED STATES WILLIAM FREDERICK IVICIMI'AHOIQ', O15` RIVERSIDE, .CALIFORNIA PUMP Hs'roiv 1 Application led March 18, 192,9. Serial o. 347,904.

This invention relates to a novel construction for expanding the piston packing of a fluid pump piston, of a reciprocating pump, and has for its object to provide a piston packing adjusting means, coacting with the iuid pressure of the reciprocating pump, that will efficiently and automatically adjust the piston packing. l

Another object is the novel construction provided to enable the manual adjustment of the adjusting means .so that the iiuid pressure can be used in the adjustment of the piston packing without causing excessive pressure between the piston packing and the water liner of the pump in which the said piston reciprocates.

A further object is to provide a novel ratchet mechanism that will automatically hold the piston packing in place vafter each fluid pressure adjustment.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides and consists in the co11- struction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departure from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the in-V vention.

Similar characters of reference denote like 0r corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and upon which,

Figure l is a central longitudinal section through my improved piston construction, showing the ratchet mechanism in detail.

Figure 2 is a transverse section through the piston at 2 2, showing the general formation of the piston packing and its adjacent mechanism.

Referring in detail to the charactersof` reference marked upon the drawingyl' represents the piston` rod of a pump that con nects the steam piston with the water pistoner the power mechanism with the water 5 0l piston 2. It is onto this piston rod 1 that I secure my piston unit 2 which consists' of a ratchet mechanism 3', follower 4, adapter 5, rubber sleeve 6, and piston member 7 .l

It may be well to note that myfimproved piston 2can be used in any kind' of reciprocating pumps namely, steam driven, power or electric driven and/or gas -fluid driven pumps. Also this type-of piston.J can 4be used to kind of fluid.

By referring to Figure 1it may be seen that the adapter-5 and the piston member 7 is secured in a fixed position uponthe` vpiston rod l by meansvof thetaper forma-65jl tion 8 of the piston rod l and shoulder-9 being utilized to prevent the saidI adapter 5 and member 7 from lmoving in a longistudinal movement when the nut lOand locknut 11 are drawn up hardagainst the said 70 element 0r member 7 ,the said nuts l0 and 11 having threaded engagement with'the piston rod l.

The piston packing 6, which is made of a pliable material preferably of a rubber composition, is automatically compressed and expanded when the piston unit 2 is drawn in a direction toward the steam end of pumpby the action of the fluid pressure in thel pump against the exposed area of the follower 4. This said iuid `pressure -action moves the follower 4 in a longitudinal movement toward the `member Gand my ratchet;` mechanism 3 holds this follower 4 against reverse movement, thereby keeping the piston packing 6 suiiiciently pressed against` the water liner-13. I desire to have noted, at this time, that my packing 6 willf-not be-V come anchored in the cylinder or watervliner in which the piston 2, of which theV said 9'0 pump wateror any other'o packing 6 is a part thereof, most positively reciprocate with a minimum frictional resistance. Heretofore the main trouble with a fluid type piston was a so called freezing action of the piston packing against the water liner of the pump. This action was caused by the fact that there were no means provided to neutralize the fluid pressure conditions that would be encountered in the respective pump in which the piston was placed. To overcome this objectionable feature I have provided a novel rachet mechanism 3 in which a pawl 14 engages with ratchet teeth in an adapter 5. When I know the maximum pressure that will be exerted in the'water'fluid end of the pump I can, by adjusting the spring 16, exert a pressure upon the engagement between the pressure upon a fluid, a pump piston adaptsaid pawl 14 and adapter 5 that will in turn neutralize the pressure by the fluid upon theexposed area 17 ofy the follower 4 and make al harmonized pressure between the follower 4 and packing 6 so that excessive pressure betweenv the packing V6 and |water liner V13 will be eliminated and the mechanical efliciency of the pump not impaired. Y,

' This adjustmentof my ratchet mechanism 3 will obviously be made before the piston 2 j is installed lin the pump.

I wish to have it noted that while I have shown the movablemember 4 of the piston 2 on the side toward the steam end of the pumpit maybe reversed and placed upon )the kopposite end side by merely modifying i the construction and used to equally .good

advantage. s

It may be well to note that I provide one or more ratchet mechanisms 3 in member element 4. This ratchet mechanism 3 can be made of any kind of construction but is preferably made of a plunger 14, spring 16 and set-screw 18, the plunger having teeth on one end portion and said plunger 14 being mov- 453able in the follower 4. To adjust the pressure between the plunger 14 and the adapter 5 I merely screw the setscrew 18 down upon the spring 16 which in turn causes a spring pressure action upon the said plunger 14.

Piston member 7 is a cylindrical disc adapted to be placed on one end of the piston rod 1 and it is fixed against longitudinal movement. If desired this member 7 can have threaded engagement with rod 1.

Piston packing 6 is a hollow cylindrical formation made of pliable material and while I have shown flat end surfaces these end surfaces 19 can be made of any shape or formation that may be desired.

Adapter 5 is formed as a hollow cylinder having a tapered innerbore with a tooth formation on its outer diameter 20 and a raised shoulder provided to keep the follower 4 in position. T` Piston follower 4 is a cylindrical disc be modified other than that shown, the shape of the adjacent surfaces 19 of the elements 4 and 7 will be modified to suit.

From the above description it will be observed that I have provided a novel construction, whereby the fluid pressure in the pump is utilized to automatically adjust the piston packing in a piston and means is provided to neutralize' the force exerted by the said pump fluid relative to the said piston packing.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y

1. In a mechanism adapted to create a ed to move in a reciprocating movement, a piston member and a `piston follower adapted to be moved toward said member,'a pliable packing between said member and follower, means for utilizing the fluid pressure to impart longitudinal movement` toA said follower to compress and expand'the said packing and a ratchet mechanism adapted to hold the pliable packing in a compressed and .expanded state without pulsating action on each reciprocating `moveV ment of the piston. Y

2. In a reciprocating pump adapted to create a pressure upon a fluid, a pump piston comprising a pliable packing adapted to be actuated by a fluid pressure, a ratchet mechanism adapted to hold the pliable packing in a compressed and expanded state without a pulsating action on the packing on each reciprocating movement ofthe piston.

3. In a reciprocating pump, a pump 'pistonV comprising a piston packing adapted to be actuated by a fluid pressure, A,two cylindrical discs, a pliable packing between said cylindrical discs, an adapter, a ratchet mechanism, one of said cylindrical discs adaptedto move in 'a longitudinal direction upon said adapter, said longitudinal movement caused bv fluid pressure acting against said cylindrical disc whereby, the pistonl packing is compressed and. expanded, said ratchet mechanism adapted to causey friction between the adapter and movable cylindrical disc.

4. In amechanism adapted to create a pressure on a fiuid, a pump piston adapted 5. A piston comprising ya sleeve having fl IGS "IES

ratchet teeth thereon, an expansible packing ring surrounding said sleeve, an abutment against which one end of said packing abuts, and a plunger follower carrying spring pressed ratchets contacting the opposite end of said packing, the said ratchets having teeth complementary to and engaging the teeth on said sleeve whereby fluid pressure acting on the said follower will cause the same to move axially on said sleeve to compress and expand said packing, the said spring pressed ratchets functioning automatically to maintain said packing in an expanded condition.

WILLIAM FREDERICK MoMAI-ION. 

